Ginger bug

[kickinit233]

Hello community I have a interesting idea I would like to get advice on. After reading the book the Art of Fermentation I recalled reading a section about creating a ginger starter for kumbucha in a similar way to cider starter I.e. you simply mash up organic ginger and let the surface yeast and bacteria gorge themselves one the gingery goodness. That is the simple part of the brewing know what I am wondering is if this would be suitable for brewing beer instead of kumbucha and if so what precautions should I have when brewing the beer.

 

[Whatsgoodmiley]

I can't think of any special precautions. Add some ginger late in the boil as well. I once made ginger soda from a yeast I captured from air using a bowl full of lemon juice (lower pH), grated ginger (hopefully get some yeast), and sugar. It came out tasting sour and after making some agar plates, some looking, especially some tasting, I concluded it wasn't yeast. I had pediococcus. Had I used that method to make beer, I would have had a sour beer. Keep in mind how random it can be. My advice is to mash up that ginger and add some malt goodness, but make a yeast starter from it and taste it before tossing into a big batch.

 

[kickinit233]

Thanks for the advice I will let you know how it goes